Saponins are involved in the analgesic and anti-inflammatory properties of <i>Ficus platyphylla</i> stem bark

Abstract

The analgesic and anti-inflammatory properties of saponins (FPS) from the methanol extract of Ficus platyphylla stem bark were studied in rodents. FPS significantly attenuated acetic acid-induced writhes in mice and inhibited responses in both phases I & II of formalin-induced nociception. FPS demonstrated significant antinociceptive activity in Analgesy-meter model of nociception and significantly attenuated albumin-induced oedema in rats. Morphine significantly (p<0.05) inhibited responses in both phases I & II of formalin-induced nociception and increased the threshold of mechanically induced nociception in rats. The effects of FPS on formalin-induced nociception and the threshold of mechanically-induced nociception were less compare to the effects of morphine. Acetylsalicylic acid (ASA), significantly (p<0.05) reduced acetic acid induced writhes in mice, attenuated responses in the late phase II of formalin- induced nociception and albumin-induced oedema in rats, but failed to attenuate responses in the early phase I of the formalin-induced nociception in rats. The effects of FPS on the late phase of formalin-induced nociception were greater than the effects of ASA. Effects of FPS on acetic acid- writhes in mice were less compare to the effects of ASA. Our results provided evidence that saponins are implicated in the analgesic and anti-inflammatory effects observed in our earlier studies on the crude methanol extract of Ficus platyphylla stem bark, thus supporting the isolation and development of the saponin components of this medicinal plant as analgesics and anti-inflammatory agents.
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Keyword: Ficus platyphylla; saponins; anti-nociception; anti-inflammation